Paris 2024: Rugby, football games kick off!

Starting off the sport at the Paris Olympics this Wednesday are Football and Rugby Sevens, two days before the opening ceremony. The event features a top French star and a significant police presence for Israel’s debut appearance.

In the men’s football competition, Israel will face Mali under the supervision of 1,000 police officers. Authorities have set up an “anti-terrorist perimeter” in anticipation of disruptions near the stadium.

A source from the French police informed AFP that there could be instances of “people shouting insults from the stands” or display of “whistling and flags during the national anthems, for instance.”

Israel’s participation in Paris has been a major discussion point in the lead-up to the event, with the Palestinian Olympic Committee and some left-wing French MPs calling for the country’s exclusion due to the Gaza conflict.

President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Israeli athletes are “welcome in our country” and mentioned that it was France’s responsibility to ensure their security.

Simultaneously, at a packed Stade de France, fans will cheer on Antoine Dupont, considered one of the world’s best rugby players and a prominent figure at the Paris Games, as the Rugby Sevens tournament kicks off.

Dupont, an electrifying player, is expected to attract a crowd of 555,000 during the six days of rugby action. France faces a tough challenge against double Olympic champions Fiji.

France and Fiji are in the same pool and will compete against the United States and Uruguay before their highly anticipated match on Thursday.

Other teams to watch in this competitive tournament include traditional rugby powerhouses like New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and Ireland.

– ‘There’s no one’ –

Preparations for Friday’s historic opening ceremony are well underway, with extensive security measures in place for the athletes’ parade along the River Seine.

Approximately 6,000-7,000 athletes are expected to sail down a six-kilometre stretch of the river towards the Eiffel Tower on 85 barges and boats.

About 500,000 spectators will witness the event in person from specially constructed stands, riverbanks, and surrounding balconies and apartments.

The area surrounding the river has been secured before the ceremony, with snipers positioned along the route and frogmen deployed to prevent any waterborne threats.

The entertainment lineup for the ceremony, which marks the first time a Summer Olympics has opened outside the main stadium, is yet to be fully disclosed.

Speculations suggest that US pop star Lady Gaga might be among the performers based on videos posted online.

American rapper Snoop Dogg will carry the Olympic flame in its final rounds before the ceremony this Friday.

Some Paris business owners expressed discontent over the negative impact of security measures on their businesses.

“We were told there would be a lot of people during the Olympics and even before. But in fact, no. There’s no one,” said Jonas Seignovert, manager of the Eugene restaurant, to AFP.

The first scandal of the Games surfaced with a video showing the mistreatment of a horse, leading to the expulsion of Britain’s renowned Olympian, dressage specialist Charlotte Dujardin, from the Paris Games.

The video depicted three-time Olympic champion Dujardin walking alongside a horse and repeatedly hitting the animal while training a young rider.

Dujardin admitted to an “error of judgment” and expressed deep shame for her actions, jeopardizing her quest to become Britain’s most successful female Olympian in Paris with further medals.

– Financial guarantees’ –

While one Games is about to commence, France is already looking ahead to hosting another Olympics, as the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2030 Winter Games to the French Alps.

The IOC awarded the games to France under the condition that Paris fulfills the necessary financial commitments.

France remains the sole candidate to host the 2030 Games, but financial concerns have arisen due to the absence of a government following inconclusive snap elections.

Macron assured IOC members that he would request France’s next prime minister to provide a financial “guarantee” for hosting the Games.

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